Romance & Romanticism
by Alana Writes Stuff
Summary: With their elder sisters married and moved away, Kitty, Mary and Maria remain unmarried in Meryton. This story continues Pride and Prejudice and tells the stories of the three single daughters of the Bennett and Lucas families. Will the three girls all find true love and happiness, or do they have a different fate?
1. Prologue - Mrs Bennett is not yet done

**Prologue - Mrs Bennett is not yet done**

It was a particular pleasant morning in the picturesque town of Meryton. It was the late summer, and the briskness of autumn was soon to fall upon the town. The sun's glorious rays gently beat down on the town's famously vast lakes, making the waters sparkle in such a way that they could be likened to a most precious jewel. The leaves atop the tall trees swayed softly in the delicate breeze, as did the grass and crops in many of Meryton's fields. Children and youths ran and played gaily, immersing themselves with their beautiful surroundings, and the ring of their sweet laughter could be heard from miles away. It was days like this that Meryton could well and truly be given the title of 'paradise'.

However, not all the citizens of Meryton found themselves available to enjoy the spectacular day that had fell upon them. One in particular, a Mrs Bennett of Longbourn, sat instead in her rocking chair by the window in the sitting room, carefully finishing her embroidering of a cushion. Whilst many an observer would think that Mrs Bennett could surely put aside her embroidery, in favour of delighting in the marvellous morning, Mrs Bennett would have a very different opinion indeed. For the cushion was not merely the product of a pastime, but was in fact a gift that she had the intention to bestow upon her first grandchild! Her eldest, and in all honesty, and most favourite daughter, Jane, had recently given birth to a son, named Charles after his father. The cushion was very nearly completed, with Mrs Bennett needed only to finish embroidering the initials of her grandson – 'C.B.'. The delightful weather seemed to play no part in Mrs Bennett's mind at all. Finishing the cushion was more than enough to keep her occupied, and the thought of the gratuitous smiles that she would receive for her efforts kept her concentration firmly on the task at hand.

In the absence of her two unmarried daughters, Mary and Kitty, who were spending the summer in as residents and guests at Pemberley, the grandest estate in all of Derbyshire that she could proudly refer to as the home of her daughter Elizabeth, Mrs Bennett found that Longbourn felt quite empty. She acknowledged and dearly appreciated the kindness shown by her daughter and son-in-law by taking in her single daughters temporarily, nevertheless Mrs Bennett deeply missed the presence of her daughters, and often thought fondly of when she had all her daughters at her side and in her home.

When the day ended, and the night was drawing ever closer, Mrs Bennett could still be found sitting in her rocking chair by the window. It had been a good few hours since she had finished her needlework, but now she sat in her chair doing something which seemed to be somewhat out of character, as any person who walked in to the room would observe a woman, who was ordinarily active and garrulous, quietly sitting in her chair, gazing out of the window. One of Longbourne's longest serving servants was quite distracted from their task of tidying the scullery, when they instead became pre-occupied watching the abnormally silent Mrs Bennett in both wonder and confusion.

Despite appearances, Mrs Bennett was in fact, quite occupied. Instead of her regular cavorting around the house or town, she was considering matters which had recently been made more apparent to her. Mrs Lexham, an acquaintance of Mrs Bennett's, had recently succeeded in marrying off the last of her three daughters, to the eldest son of a wealthy colonel, following an excursion to Bath. Although Mrs Bennett's pride at her two eldest daughters marrying two gentlemen of great fortune and high standing could never be fully dampened, Mrs Lexham's rejoicing at her daughter's matrimony reminded Mrs Bennett that two of her daughters were still single and in need of a fitting husband.

"Pardon me, Ma'am…" Mrs Bennett was distracted by the voice of Anna Mullins, the young scullery maid who had previously been observing her most intently.

"Yes, yes, pray tell me what is it?" Mrs Bennett hastily and slightly abruptly replied, wishing to return to the company of her own thoughts.

"I don't mean to trouble you, Ma'am, not at all, Ma'am…" Anna replied with a more nervous tone, following the reply of her mistress.

"I'm sorry, dear child, do forgive my brusqueness beforehand. It was quite uncalled for," Mrs Bennett said, softening her voice, "Do you bring me news?"

"No, I bring no news to you this evening, Ma'am. I only wished to know if everything is quite alright with you, Ma'am. I had noticed that you had been sitting alone for many an hour now…"

"You have no need to be concerned for me, my dear! I am merely considering things. Things which I wish to amend shortly!" She lifted herself from her chair in excitement and clapped her hands together.

"Do you wish to know my plan, Miss Mullins?" Mrs Bennett looked eagerly at Anna, her eyes twinkling at the very thought of her imminent plan.

Miss Mullins did not get the chance to reply to her mistress, for she had already began detailing her latest scheme.

"I am a mother to five daughters, Miss Mullins, three of whom are now happily married. Believe me when I say that there is nothing that delights a mother more than when her children achieve a state of paramount content! Yet I cannot feel truly satisfied in my abilities as a mother and guardian until all my daughters are wed. It is now less than a week until Mary and Kitty return to me here at Longbourne, and when they return, I shall take it upon myself to find two eligible bachelors who in turn, shall be fitting husbands for them! As long as the both of them remain single, I have a task with I must complete! I am not yet done, Miss Mullins, I am not yet done!"

With that she hastily left the room, clapping her hands together once more and uttering small and sporadic cries of laughter. Anna remained unmoving in the sitting room, once again stunned by her mistress's behaviour. She then followed in her mistress's suit, leaving the sitting room feeling both amused and bemused by what had just occurred.


	2. Ch 1 - A Most Advantageous Opportunity

_Instead of following the prologue, this chapter, and the following chapters all happen before the prologue. I wrote the prologue to set up the themes of the story and give you guys an idea of what would lie in store for these single ladies – although if their mothers get their way, they won't be single for long!_

 _The following chapters occur around 8 or 9 months after Lizzie and Jane married Darcy and Bingley respectively. Please enjoy reading!_

* * *

As she walked through the prospering pastures that surrounded her childhood home, young Catherine Bennett, or Kitty as she preferred to be called, found herself to once again be without company. Being one of five daughters had meant she had grown up in a way that could have them be likened to a cluster of islands. She and her sisters were all very different from one another, and in that sense each of them existed as an island of her own, although they never were distant from each other, both in terms of abode and their sisterly closeness. Now the cluster of islands had broken apart, with three of the islands having drifted away and to new foreign seas, and she was overcome by a rather an unfamiliar feeling. This feeling stemmed from the very frank truth that Kitty had grown up never once wanting for company, and also meant her daily life was not incomplete without some bickering betwixt herself and one of her sisters, whether it be over dolls as in their early years and infancy, or whose turn it was to wear the crimson bonnet from Mr Murray's haberdashery as it became more often as womanhood approached them all.

She continued to walk and continued to ponder whether the heavy weight of loneliness she had to bear would one day ease. Though she held all her sisters dear to her heart, Kitty particularly noted the absence of Lydia, who had been her constant companion in mischief, and in league with, had been labelled as 'partners in crime' by their Aunt Phillips.

Suddenly, a faint and rhythmic clacking could be heard in the distance and grew ever louder, as it became clear the origin of the noise was headed towards Longbourne. As dark as the charcoal of the Welsh mines, a noble black stead became visible, and itself and its rider approached Kitty.

"Good day," said the rider, courteously tipping his hat, "I have with me a letter addressed to the Bennett household, Ma'am. Know you any who live there?"

"I do, sir," she replied despondently, still overcome by her feelings, "I am Kitty Bennett."

"I shall save myself and Bess here from riding to your estate and entrust this to you then, if that is no trouble Ma'am."

"It is no trouble, sir. Have a fine day."

"And you, Miss." The rider promptly departed as quickly as he had approached, and soon he and faithful Bess were out of sight.

As despondently as she had spoken to the messenger, Kitty turned away from the luscious pastures ahead, and walked towards Longbourne which laid in the distance. To any onlooker who had known her prior to the fresh alterations in her home circumstances, the fair woman who was presently rambling through the paddocks was not even one tenth in her likeness to Kitty Bennett. Formerly, Miss Kitty's blithe and jolly nature had been second to none and was never anything short of habitual. Thus, it was more than disconcerting to see such grand changes in her temperament, which now left remnants with a striking resemblance to Kitty Bennett, but a being whose soul was nought in likeness.

Tap tap.

"Enter," called the voice of a man from behind the dark oak door, which Kitty proceeded to push on invitation to do so.

"Kitty," the silver haired man's gaze switched from his newspaper to his daughter in the archway of his study. His tone was filled with genuine pleasantness and possessed something of a comforting quality to it, quite the parallel to her mother's anxiety driven squawking. How her parents ever came to be a couple was a great mystery. He peered over his round spectacles and beckoned gently with his left hand that she approach him.

"What do you bring me my dear, which allows me such a pleasure of you gracing my study?" smiling with both his mouth and his wise, twinkling eyes.

"Tis a letter, Papa – delivered not quarter of an hour ago. It is simply addressed to the Bennett household."

He took the sand coloured letter from his daughter's hand and examined it very briefly before returning to look at her. He had never claimed to be the most observant of men, something which Mrs Bennett would frequent to call him out upon, but it was nonetheless clear to him that the girl before him was merely a silhouette of his second youngest child. The rosiness of her cheeks had become a dull shade of pink, and one of the features he had most proudly passed onto her could no longer be seen – the twinkle in her eyes had faded like a dying star.

"You are well, are you not?" were the words he had been able to muster, and lacked the tact he knew was necessary for the conversation.

"Yes, Papa." Her answer was short and stunted – in other words, out of sorts.

"Are you wholly sure, child? I fear I am not the best person to tun to for consolation in times of need, but I am bound by fatherly duty to offer such things if they are needed." In perfect symmetry with his company, he too acted out of sorts. Steadily, he rose from his brown armchair, feeling the effects of time and age particularly in his left knee. When the twinge of pain had surpassed, he walked over to his daughter and simply held her soft, petite hands in his own aging and weathered ones.

It was a moment that required no exchange of words between them, for a mutual understanding was formed by the mere touching of their skin. They shared the bond only a father and daughter can have and were bound by it unconditionally to love, cherish and care for one another. Minutes may well have passed with the pair standing in complete silence, their hands still woven together as if by a thread made of sturdy steel, and still, not one sound needed to be made. They both knew, in that moment, they were cared for and they were loved.

* * *

"Mama, how many times must I tell you that I do not wish to marry Thomas Blackwell?"

Once again, the dinner conversation in the Bennett household had turned to Mrs Bennett's favourite topic of conversation of all – matrimony.

"It would be wrong of you to not consider him though, dear, really. For what the gentleman lacks in charm, he most certainly makes up for in fortune!"

"Mama, however can you say such a wicked thing?"

"Oh hush, Kitty! I am at the age where I know well enough to hold my tongue if I fear my words shall be wicked, thus you cannot make such accusations of me! I was merely noting that his assets lie elsewhere, and that he cannot be ruled out as a potential husband on the grounds of his lack of natural charm! Few men possess such natural charm, my dear, you'd do well to be understanding of that."

"I do not think a dowry should improve a man at all. I believe there are far more faults than fancies about a man with too much money." Another voice chimed in, this one belonging to the other Bennett daughter who remained at Longbourne, who was renowned for her capriciousness and radicalisms at family gatherings which more than often had the ability to drive Mrs Bennett into states of overwhelming hysteria.

"Too much money! Mary, how you do toy with my poor nerves! I shall not have such drastic views at my dinner table, as clever as they may be seen outside of this household!" she proceeded to dramatically dab her forehead with a handkerchief and turn her gaze from her difficult daughter.

Kitty looked down and released a stifled laugh, making sure to avoid meeting the eyes of her frenzied mother. On the other side of the table, Mary grumbled, nonetheless, she obeyed her mother, knowing all too well she could not be reasoned with in the same way her father could.

"Enough of this tittle-tattle, ladies. It does make me ever so tiresome." Mr Bennett too often had to act as mediator to his wife and daughters and almost always seemed to have a pre-prepared speech for calming their quarrelling. "I do believe wholeheartedly this dinner would be far better appreciated when less of our time is so dedicated to squabbling."

With that, he returned to his supper and did not utter a single word. His daughters promptly followed suit, while his wife sat flabbergasted and attempted to make eye contact with her husband so she could proceed scold him. After several failed attempts at doing so – a result that came about from a lethal combination of his own steadfast resilience and commendably thorough revision of his wife's habits – Mrs Bennett returned to her dinner and consumed it quite happily.

* * *

The evening routine in Longbourne had scarcely changed, in spite of the obvious fact that nearly half of the house's former occupants had moved on. Family dinner was succeeded as usual by the family all sitting in each other's company in the drawing room, with each of them engrossed in an activity of their choosing. Mr Bennett was the most predictable in his routine, always settling in the same armchair and burying his nose in a good book and leaving himself in blissful ignorance of his wife's meddling and daughters' frets and gossip.

Mrs Bennett would divide her recreational time evenly between her daughters, ensuring that each of them received a fitting amount of time for their daily lecture on the importance of a good marriage. Somehow Mrs Bennett could never tire of things to say about matrimony, as much as her daughters had ardently wished for it.

The eldest Bennett daughters often spent their time together conversing of the latest news they had heard from Meryton town, whilst Kitty and Lydia did the same, albeit it with a far greater amount of loud giggling and poor imitations. Ever content with her dependable piano for company, Mary would play to her audience in the room, who rather to her annoyance but also relief, never appeared to truly be listening to her renditions of Mozart's symphonies. The lives of the Bennetts carried on even with the absences, although their days seemed to be considerably more devoid of talk and laughter than beforehand.

However, it was on this evening when habits were suddenly thrown asunder. It all began when Mr Bennett vacated his corner seat that frequently acted as his one of his personal sanctuaries within the house, and instead stood before the heart of the room; the grand oak fireplace that crackled playfully as the kindling disintegrated from the heat of the dancing flames. This uncharacteristic action startled the three women, with Mrs Bennet breaking her attention from her embroidery, Kitty from her book and Mary from her grand piano.

Clearing his voice with a mild grumble, he then began to speak.

"I received this afternoon, a letter from Pemberley, addressed to the Bennett household…"

"Oh! A letter from my Lizzie! Whatever does it say, Mr Bennett?" His wife's excitable and impatient nature prevented her from waiting for him to continue, yet somehow left her also hanging onto his every word.

"That is precisely what I was about to tell you all, my dear, if only you'd let me finish."

She promptly sealed her lips, her face showing visible strain from her struggle to remain silent. Gesturing at his wife with a small and appreciative smile, he continued to read the letter in his hands.

"It is an invitation from Mrs Elizabeth Darcy and Miss Georgiana Darcy for Kitty and Mary, if they so choose to accept, to spend their summer at Pemberley, where they shall be offering companionship to both the mistress of the estate and her sister-in-law…"

"OH, MR BENNETT!" The loud exclaim belonged to the most hysterical of voices in the room and was followed by her signature gleeful clap.

"This is such wonderful news! And such a most advantageous opportunity for our girls! We must write to tell them we accept them at once, for fear they may change their minds!"

She rose from her chair as hasty as a young child rises from their bed on Christmas morning, and began to bustle busily around the room, gathering the necessary implements for writing a reply on Kitty and Mary's behalf. On normal occasions, Mrs Bennett would not take the task of letter writing into her own hands, but this was far from normal.

"Pray, Mama, enlighten us on what is so advantageous about visiting our sister?" Mary replied in her customary sceptical – although she preferred inquisitive – tone.

Astounded by one of her own daughters' ignorance, Mrs Bennett simply tutted at Mary and continued with the task she had made her imperative mission to accomplish.

"I would have thought you would know better than to ever question anything your mother does by now," whispered the voice of their father within earshot of both of his daughters, and with a chuckle, "I sincerely believe she cannot explain her own actions at times."

After a faint giggle which they all ensured would not be audible to Mrs Bennett, Kitty and Mary looked upon each other with exasperation at their mother's ceaseless scheming, and reassurance that they at least had one comrade in the upcoming period – however long and strenuous it may be – of matchmaking.

And with that, it was now all set that Kitty and Mary were to spend their summer months away in Pemberley, and in the words of their mother, their time there was to be a most advantageous opportunity. Their mother's thought process once again created an unsolvable mystery, and just what was to be so advantageous about their excursion was something they felt would need to be revealed to them both.

* * *

Within ten minutes, Mrs Bennett had finished writing her reply, securing the signatures of Kitty and Mary were imprinted on the bottom of the parchment, and finally ensured that Oliver, one of the house staff, would make it his devoted duty to deliver the precious letter to first post in the morning. One by one, each Bennett soon retired to bed, until Mary was left alone in the room with only her piano as company. Carefully, she gathered together her sheet music, which had proved exceptionally more challenging than she had anticipated, but nonetheless a challenge she looked forward to taking on.

Though she had never proclaimed herself as the most sociable of the Bennett girls, Mary matched Kitty's own feelings of loneliness in a way she could not of imagined possible before, and felt a stir of sadness as she looked around the room which had formerly harboured such liveliness. After her brief moment of poignancy, she sighed and proceeded to follow her family by retiring to her bedchamber.


	3. Ch 2 - The New Mrs Blackwell

Most fortunately, it was a rather pleasant day when Mrs Bennett decided that Kitty was to call upon the Lucas household to visit her friend Maria. Much to her chagrin, her mother had since taken it upon herself to be as avidly involved in running her daughter's social life as much as her romantic, and saw no qualms whatsoever with Kitty paying the family a visit, especially one with such good connections as the Lucases.

"I should not wish to call upon them if they are already occupied for the day, Mama. Perhaps I should send a letter and arrange to call upon her in a few days from now?"

"Oh, hush-hush, my dear. If Maria is anything like yourself, I highly doubt she had made other plans. I dare say you shall salvage her from boredom by calling upon her!"

In truth, Kitty had very little planned for the day ahead, and once again, abstained from refusing her mother – quite unlike Mary who would often simply decline her mother out of a matter of principle. Thus, she began to make the necessary preparations for her visit and decided to walk on foot as to make the most of the summer weather while it lasted.

It turned out her mother was quite right in Kitty acting as Maria's salvation, as it seemed Maria's life too was lacking in purpose and excitement.

"I am so glad you called upon me, Kitty! I fear I would have spent all day help my mother to embroider cushions for the new parsonage!" The two young women strolled arm in arm from Lucas Lodge to Meryton town, where they had decided they should pass their time through conversation and browsing the latest offerings of Mr Murray's summer collection.

"The new parsonage?" questioned Kitty, having surprisingly not come across such news, in spite of her mother's undeniable penchant for gossip.

"Rumour has it that old Mr Cole is to retire at the end of August, and Papa says it's about time too…" Maria began, after surveying their surroundings, and observing there were presently no busybodies to eavesdrop upon their exchange.

"I'd say! He's been muddling up the words of his sermons for months! Although, Meryton parsonage without Mr Cole seems rather a funny thought."

"Oh indeed!" agreed Maria wholeheartedly, "He has been there even since my mother was born and christened!"

"So, we can expect a new clergyman to arrive in Meryton by the end of the summer?"

"Accordingly to Mama, yes we shall. And from what little my mother has decided to divulge in me, the man in question seems quite set to make the parsonage and parish his own! Hence, why my mother has been so keen to have me produce enough needlework to fill an entire drawing room!"

They continued on their passage to town, both feeling their spirits lift and respective feelings of melancholy start to dwindle.

* * *

Infinitely more rapidly than either Kitty or Maria could ever have imagined possible, they managed to whittle away hours in town with ease. They first ventured into the lending library, where Maria chose a collection of Romantic poetry written by the notorious Lord Byron – and straightaway requested that Kitty kept her choice in literature from her parents, knowing full well that their discovery would leave to her being on the receiving end of turmoil.

A trip to Mr Murray's haberdashery was next, as was necessary for any young woman with a fondness for fine clothes who went into town. Maria bought a rather fetching powder blue silk wrap, which danced lightly about her shoulders like a feather in the wind. Kitty treated herself to a dress with delicate lace embroidery, beautifully crafted by the gifted seamstress that Mr Murray had as a wife. She had quite fancied it for some time, but now found herself unable to resist the temptation of purchase. Whilst under the guidance of Lydia, it was fair to say Kitty was on occasion frivolous with her spending, though lacking her regular shopping companion had made her become more economical, much to the relief of her parents and the consequent disappointment of Meryton's business owners. On the contrary, Kitty felt she was able to justify today's lavish purchase due to her recent loneliness and melancholy.

An afternoon of leisure and repose was all of a sudden brought to an unexpected halt however, when the most peculiar of sights befell upon the eyes of Kitty and Maria. Phoebe Hastings was walking through town arm in arm with none other than Thomas Blackwell.

Thomas Blackwell. The blithering and uncouth son of one of Hertfordshire's most prominent gentry. The man whose topics of conversation ranged from the weather to shamelessly unflattering attempts at compliments. The very man who had never wanted for anything in his life, but was lacking any trace of charm or character.

And Phoebe Hastings. An old friend of both Kitty and Maria, who formally took more pleasure than any to mock Thomas' inadequacies. The girl who had once likened Thomas' conversation skills to a piece of flint. The very girl who had sent the deepest of sympathies to whatever poor creature should one day have to call him 'husband'.

"Phoebe!" Maria called out, unable to control herself.

"Maria, she's with company! We mustn't…" said Kitty, quickly trying to mull what could be a catastrophic encounter, and gesturing to her companion that they turn away.

"She's not just with company! She's with Thomas Bore-well!" she resisted her friend's pleas, and tugged upon her arm to pull her towards the most unlikely of couples.

* * *

'Bore-well' had stemmed from a particularly dull night at one of Thomas' dinner parties, where his ability to make himself even more dreadfully dreary was almost astonishing, and Phoebe coined the nickname which the girls had guarded and used in private conversation ever since.

"I can feel my innards perish at the thought of another dinner party hosted by that bore of a man – I do not think one may even call him a man! That might suggest he has some character!" Phoebe had chortled in the presence of Maria, Kitty and Lydia.

"He really is such tedious company!" chimed in Lydia, who was never one to pass on the chance to gossip and tease, "I am fortunate to say I have never spent more than 10 minutes alone with him – if I ever should have to, all that would be left would be my corpse, for I should surely die having to listen to him talk for so long!"

"I, on the other hand, have been forced to take him as a partner for the ball in the assembly rooms next week!" Phoebe pronounced remorsefully. "Half an hour dancing with Thomas Bore-well! I think I should rather join the regiment and go and fight Napoleon!"

* * *

Those very words that Phoebe had once so adamantly professed resonated in Kitty's mind, as did the tone of pure distain that was so prominent in her voice. Her dislike and abhorrence of the man was arguably one of her most distinguishing characteristics, yet she presently seemed content to parade around town on the arm of such a man! As unclear as the fields of Meryton on a foggy day, the cause for the change that had so drastically struck Phoebe was something that neither women found themselves able to comprehend.

"Kitty! Maria!" A friendly and warm voice called out to them, and made it apparent that Phoebe and her unlikely suitor acknowledged their presence and were walking towards them – it also meant that escape was unavoidable.

Blackwell attempt a courteous bow to the women, but instead managed to fumble and nearly trip and fall to the ground. Maria subtly glanced at Phoebe from the corner of her eye and could have sworn she had noticed a small and embarrassed flinch at his clumsiness.

"It has been quite some time, I believe, Miss Bennett and Miss Lucas. What pleasant weather we are having today!"

"I see you are as fond as ever of conversing about the weather, Mr Blackwell." Maria teased light-heartedly, again turning her eyes on Phoebe who failed to meet her look.

"The clouds above us are in a beautiful alignment today," he continued, entirely oblivious to Maria's previous tongue-in-cheek. "The wind is coming from the East, and the temperature suggests…"

"How are you both?" Phoebe intervened before Thomas continued on his inevitable and lacklustre weather related ramble. "It really has been a long time since I've had the pleasure."

"I believe it was a dinner party at Lucas Lodge," replied Kitty cordially. "It surely must have been two months ago, at the very least!"

"I must concur with you unfortunately, Miss Kitty! I cannot think how we have remained apart for so long." Her words radiated warmth, quite like the day's weather that her companion felt such a strong impulse to comment upon, but her overall composure suggested she was in fact feeling otherwise.

"My dear, I shall take my leave of you for now. I have just seen Mrs Mercer and her arrival seems to have had the most noticeable effect on the constellations…" Bore-well, as clueless as he was, even seemed to notice that Phoebe was in need of time alone with her friends, and proceeded to dally towards Mrs Mercer in his conventional unsightly and almost oafish manner.

"So…" began Maria, "Thomas Bore-well now refers to you as 'dear'. I do wonder what has caused this most severe stroke of madness." Potentially, Maria's words could have come across as humorous and light-hearted, as she possibly may have intended. Instead, there was a harsh briskness and glacier sharpness in her tone that surely inflicted pain upon a friend.

"I perhaps would not call it madness, but it is certainly unexpected…" Kitty held her tongue and contested to keep her opinions to herself, aware of her own potential to inflict pain as Maria had callously, if unintentionally, done.

In spite of their respectable upbringing, and Kitty's personal resolve to act genial, it was almost as if a higher power held control over their facial expressions. Both fell silent and were only able to look upon Phoebe with confused, upset and disappointed countenances.

"Oh, please do not look at me like that. You both understand my motives entirely." Even though she knew the foreboding would hold nothing joyous, the reluctant recipient broke the silence. She shifted on the spot, and transitioned to an even more uncomfortable composure than before.

"I only understand that you would disregard your own feelings for the opportunity to live on a grand estate!" Exploding suddenly like a firing cannon, Maria's tongue lashed harshly again.

Phoebe looked stunned at the outburst of her once close friend, but had never been one to abide rudeness directed at her.

"The thought of living on a grand estate never once entered my mind when I was making my decision; I can wholeheartedly give you my word on that. And I hardly think you should be scolding me considering the marriage of your sister!"

Maria fell quiet at the words thrown back at her in retaliation, before responding in a low and disgruntled mumble. "You forget that I am not Charlotte. She knows that I did not support her decision."

Before either party could advance with their most vicious exchange, their mutual friend made the executive judgement to make it an impossibility.

"Stop, please! Both of you!" Kitty took a step forward, creating a physical divide between the women at battle. Such boldness was not in her natural instinct, however, her affection for both of her friends ignited in her an unfamiliar confidence. "You are friends, are you not? I should not think that anyone could ever resort to treating any friend of theirs with such a level of contempt and cruelty!"

"I…I do not know what force of malice must have overcome me then. I am sorry, Phoebe." The arguable instigator of the conflict had turned pale from the realisation that had presently struck her. Neither Phoebe nor Kitty had ever witnessed such a streak in Maria in their many years of knowing her, and her outburst proved truly shocking, perhaps to its maker more than anyone else. She now tilted her head downwards, fearful of looking her friend in the eye.

"I do not believe for one instance that you are truly capable of any malice. Do not forgot that I have known you since we were five years old and we used to spend our afternoons chasing butterflies through the fields," she beckoned to Kitty to move aside, before taking the hand of her ashamed friend in her own. "I am sorry for my own harsh words. Particular circumstances can cause even the most defined characters to act out of sorts."

They looked upon each other and both produced a soft smile that spoke of forgiveness and understanding. Rather proud of her newfound talent as a mediator, Kitty happily played the role of the onlooker and simply grinned at the meeting of peace before her.

"I do believe I may in owe the both of you an explanation for my… acting out of sorts." Phoebe broke from the union she had so recently formed, creating a noticeable gap between herself and her friends. They looked at her, intent to listen to her reasoning without prejudice.

"With both of my brothers having married within the past three years, and both starting families of their own, it has made me contemplate as to what my own future may hold for me." she began, "Truthfully, I have never been wanting for anything in my life. In terms of material goods, I have never been lacking. I have lived a life which has been more than comfortable, and I am well aware how fortunate I am for that. More recently, however, it has occurred to me that someday when my father passes, for the first time in my life, I shall be without such things to which I have become accustomed."

"I understand that you fear a life of poverty and spinsterhood, as we all do! But I adamantly believe you are not yet of the age where you need to make a desperate marriage!" replied Maria adamantly.

"Indeed, Maria is correct, Phoebe!" Kitty chimed in, "let alone engage in a desperate marriage with Thomas Blackwell! I am certain that you should have many an eligible bachelor to choose from!"

"I appreciate your kind words," Phoebe responded to her friends with a soft, yet defeated smile, "Truly, I do. But I am as stubborn as ever I was, and have vowed to myself I am to become Mrs Blackwell."

"Stubborn as you are, dear Phoebe, I cannot fathom that you should sacrifice any chance you have at love!" Maria protested in response.

"I dreamed of love once. More than once actually, if I am truthful. I always used to have wonderful and fantastical dreams of marriage to a handsome, kind, thoughtful gentleman who should love me eternally, and whom I should love with such a burning passion in return." Her friend replied quite nonchalantly, the despondent look on her face transforming into one delightfully reminiscing of a better time. "We would be so fortunate to live in a grand home – perhaps an abbey or a castle even! Children would naturally follow not long after, and soon our home would be filled with the joyous laughter of our children, ringing throughout the corridors like a sweet song. We would grow older, and our children would grow into adults and start families of their own. Time would make us wither, as a flower does when autumn comes, but our love and fondness should never wither. It would withstand all tribulations thrust upon us by the world and only become more beautiful as it aged and grew."

Kitty and Maria found themselves unable to talk, having become totally immersed in the faraway and remarkable life that their friend had so delicately, and yet so simply, illustrated to them.

"For most of us, there comes a time in our lives where we must decide between the risk of love and the security of fortune. Blackwell can offer me security, and a beautiful home I can be proud to call myself the mistress of. I have not once deceived him by making him believe I care for him more than I do - he knows I do not love him."

Sadness reflected in her hazel eyes as she thought and talked more of her impending destiny and indubitably unsatisfactory and unhappy marriage. It was a truly overwhelmingly bitter-sweet moment. Whilst she found herself to be comforted by the knowledge that her future was now to be secure and stable, she was unable to avoid the sharp, dagger-like pangs that seemed to slash away repeatedly and viciously at her conscience. Unable to protect herself from their powerful strikes, the pangs in question were created from her sagacious understanding that she may never feel true happiness again, and continued to scar her entire being one small cut at a time.

"But… I just cannot understand you, Phoebe. You were ever the independent, bold and lively being. I admired you more than anyone for your spirit." Maria Lucas looked upon Phoebe with pity and great melancholy. As it had affected her sister Charlotte, Phoebe Hastings was to become the next victim of the expectations of society and thus, seemed to have contracted herself to years and possibly a lifetime of discontent.

"I truly believe, in my heart of hearts, that a husband who can both love and protect you is awaiting you, dear Phoebe." Miss Bennett's eyes began to well up at the thought of her friend's fate, "I implore you to reconsider this."

A few short moments past before Miss Hastings responded to her desperate companions, and used an uncharacteristically blunt and cold tone.

"We cannot all be as fortunate as your sisters were, Kitty."

With that, she departed without a farewell and proceeded towards Mr Murray's haberdashery, where her husband-to-be greeted her outside.

As a consequence of all that had occurred, the girls were left in quite the shaken state. Utterly silently, Kitty and Maria left Meryton town together, before continuing on to Longbourn and Lucas Lodge respectively.

If such a strong and fiercely vehement woman as Phoebe Hastings could be terrified into agreeing to an ill-fated and unhappy marriage, what could possibly lie in store for the both of them?


End file.
